Ophthalmic mounting



April 9, 1929. w, WEL H 1,708,199

OPHTHALMI C MOUNT ING Filed May 21, 1925 A TTORNE Y Patented Apr. 9,1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES WILSON WELSH, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO BAUSCH ANDLOMB OPTICAL COMPANY, YORK.

OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW OPHTHALMIC MOUNTING.

The present invention relates to ophthalmic mountings, and moreparticularly to split-rim, spectacles in which provision is made forremoving the temple without dislodging the lens and removing the lenswithoutdisplacing the temple. From a more limited aspect, the inventionrelates to spectacles having double-ear temples and temple connectionsfor the same. The more important features of novelty of the presentinvention are claimed in a divisional application, Serial No. 137,466,filed September 24, 1926. The claims of the present application arerestricted to subsidiary features of novelty. V

Single-ear temples are mounted in place by simply pivoting the ear ofthe temple between two ears provided upon one or more end pieces,one endpiece in mountings of the rimless type and two separate end pieces inmountings having split, lens-holding rims. Temples having a plurality ofears are not so easily manipulated, particularly with mountings of thesplit-rim type. One of the advantages of a double-ear temple is theincreased. bearing surface provided by the additional temple ear; and itis not easy to design split-rim end pieces provided with sufficientbearing surface to cooperate efiiciently with the bearing surfaces ofthe temple ears. Split-rim end pieces, furthermore, have a tendency toloosen, thereby weakenin the tension upon the cooperating bearingsurfaces of the temple and the endpiece ears.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to improve uponophthalmic mountings of the above-described character. Other and furtherobjects will be explained hereinafter and will be particularly pointedout in the appended claims.

Vith these ends in view, a feature of the invention contemplates anovel, double-ear, temple joint that shall be cheap to manu facture,rugged, simple, attractive, and not easily loosened, but of such naturethat the temple may be pivoted to one only of the split-rim end. pieces.The difficulties attendant upon the use of multiple-ear temples in splitjoints are thus eliminated, and a superior joint is neverthelessprovided. The invention is, however, equally applicable to single-earjoints.

With these d o her o j n View, the

. temple of I latter of the ears 3, 5 and 7 of the Application filed May21, 1225. Serial No. 31,739.

nature of which will appear hereinafter, the invention consists of theimproved ophthalmic mounting hereinafter described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1

is a fragmentary section taken longitudinally through the end pieces andthe a pair of spectacles constructed according to the present invention;Fig. 2 a perspective view of the said end pieces, assembled; Figs. 3 and4 are similar views, respectively, of the end pieces shown in Fig. 2,detached.

The illustrated temple 12 is provided with two flattened pivot cars 11,each provided with an eye ll. The split, lens-holding rim 2 is providedwith end pieces 4 and (3, the which is longer than the former and isprovided with three end-piece ears, 3, 5 and 7. The ear 3 is providedwith a threaded eye 18, and the ears 5 and 7 with unthreaded eyes 15 and17, the latter of which is countersunk. The temple cars 11 are insertedbetween adjacent end-piece ears 3, 5 and 7, the end-piece ears and thetemple ears becoming thus alternately disposed. The temple is thenpivotally secured in place upon the end piece 6 by a screw or otherpintle lo thatextcnds through the eyes 13, 14,15 and 17. The screw 16 isprovided with an enlarged head that is seated in the countersunk eye 17,and with a terminally threaded portion that is threaded in the eye 13.If desired, a bearing sleeve (not shown) may be slipped on the screw 16,but the temple may pivot about the screw itself as a bearing. Toremovethe temple, or to remount it, all that is necessary is to manipulate thescrew 16. E The pivotal movement of the temple is limited by projectingpoints 2-1 provided upon the cars 11 and adapted to engage limitingwalls 26 that are provided between end piece 6. During such pivotalmovement, the bearing faces of the temple ears 11 bear frictionallyagainst the bearing faces 28 of the end-piece ears 3, 5 and 7. In orderthat the'bearing faces 28 may contact smoothly with, and press withuniform tension upon, the bearing faces of the temple ears 11, thethickness of the temple ears 11 should be equal to, or very slightlyless than, the distance between the end-piece ears, So constructed, thetemple the side face 45.

' vide d that joins the side faces and 37.

will not swing loosely. It will remain'in any position thatit may happento occupy, but it is readily freely movable to any other positionbetween its limits of movement.

The end pieces 4 and 6 are secured together by a screw 20 to maintain alens 22 in position'within the split rim. The end piece l is providedwith an outer face 31, aninner face 33, and two side faces 35 and 37,connecting the faces 31 and 33. The end piece 6 is similarly providedwith an outer face 39, an inner face il, and two side faces4-3 and 45,connecting the faces 39 and all. The longer end piece (3 is reduced inthickness to provide a recess l7 that extends'into the outer face 39transversely across the width of the end piece, from the side face l3 toThe shorter end piece d is equal in length to the length of the recessand is so shaped as to be received in the recess, with its inner face 33in contact with the bottom wall of the vrecess l7. The Wall 53 of therecess formsa shoulder that extends transversely in the direction of thethickness of the end piece 6. The end piece l is prowith acorrespondingly disposed shoulder for engaging the shoulder 53. Thescrew 2.0 extends through the outer and inner faces 31 and 33 of the endpiece 4 and through the bottom wall of the recess 4:7 and the inner face41 of the end piece 6. The shoulder 55 is constituted of an end face Theend piece 6 is provided with a transversely disposed projection 49 thatextends up from the bottom wall of the recess 47, and the end piece 4;is provided with-a corresponding transversely disposed notch 51 withinwhich the projection 49' is seated. Relative twisting movement of theend pieces 4; and 6 is thus prevented, and the danger that wouldotherwise exist of chipping the lens 22 at the junction 63 between theend pieces is eliminated.

Modifications within the spirit of the invention will obviously occurtopersons skilled in the art, and all such are intended to beincludedwithin the scope of the appended claims.

\Vhat is claimed is:

1. An ophthalmic mounting having, in'

combination, two end pieces, one of which is reduced in thickness toprovide a recess for receiving the other end piec'e,-one of the endpieces being "PEO'VlClGCl with a transversely disposed iirojection, andthe other end piece being provided with atransv'ersely disposed'notclrwithin which the projection is seated to prevent relativetwisting of the end pieces, and means for securing the end piecestogether. V

QQAn ophthalmic mounting having, in combination, two end pieces ofdifferent i length, the longer end piece being reduced in thickness adistance substantiallyequal notch to prevent relative twisting of theend 7 pieces, and means for securing the end pieces together.

3. An ophthahnic mounting having, in combination, two end pieces ofdifferent length, the longer end piece being reduced in thickness adistance substantially equal to the length of the shorter end piece toprovide a recess for receiving the shorter end piece, the reduction inthicknessextending transversely across the longer end piece throughoutits width to provide shoulder extending transversely substantially inthe direction of the thickness of the longer end piece, the shorter endpiece being profided with .a correspondingly disposed shoulder forengaging thetirst-named shoulder, one

of the end pieces being prov'ided'with' a transversely disposed notchand the other end piece being provided with a transversely disposedprojection seated in the notch to prevent relative twisting of the endpieces, and a screw extending through the end pieces for securing theend aiecestogether. '4. An ophthalmic mounting having, in combination, asplit lens rim having two end pieces of ditferent length, the portion ofthe longer end piece adjacent to the rim being reduced in thickness adistance substantially equal to the length of the shorter end piece toprovide a recess for receiving the shorter end piece, one of the endpieces being provided with a transversely disposed ingof the end-pieces,a screw extending through the end pieces for securing the end oiecestogether, and atemple'pivoted to the longer end piece. a

5; An ophthalmic mounting having, in combination, a split lens rimhaving two end pieces one of which is reduced in thickness toreceivethe' other end piece, one-of the end pieces being provided with atransversely disposed notch and the other end piece being provided witha-"transverselv disposed projection seated in the notch td preventrelative twisting of the end pieces, one of the end pieces beingprovided with more than two cars, a temple provided' with one ear lessthan the number ,ofend-piece ears, the end-piece ears and the templeears being alternately disposed, and a pintl e extending through thetemple ears and the end-piece ears, whereby the temple is pivoted to theend piece that is provided with ears.

6. An ophthalmic mounting having, in combination, a split lens rimhaving two end pieces of different lengths, the port-ion of the longerend piece adjacent to the rim being reduced in thickness at distancesubstantially equal to the length of the shorter end piece to provide arecess for receiving the shorter end piece, the reduction in thick nessextending transversely across the longer end piece throughout its widthto provide a shoulder extending transversely substantially in thedirection of the thickness of the longer end piece, the shorter endpiece being provided with a correspondingly disposed shoulder ;t'orengaging the first-named shoulder, the unreduced portion of the longerend piece being provided with more than two ears, one of the end piecesbeing provided with a transversely disposed notch and the other endpiece being provided with a transversely disposed projection seated inthe notch to prevent relative twisting of the end pieces, means forsecuring the end pieces together, a temple provided with one ear lessthan the number of end-piece ears, the endpiece and temple ears beingalternately disposed, and a pintle extending through the temple and theend-piece ears, whereby the temple is pivoted to the longer end piece.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

JAMES \V. VELSI-I.

